Advice on how to keep cat from jumping up on walls around stairs

pjewles

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We are currently finishing off our attic, which has never been finished.  We have never let our cat in the attic ever because of the fiber glass insulation and open spots in the floor.  Since we have removed all insulation and patched all holes in the floor I let my cat in the attic while supervised for the first time.  After he got comfortable with his new environment I caught him looking like he was thinking about jumping up on the walls around our stairs going to the attic (see pic below). Obviously if he fell it would be really bad.  He is a fantastic climber and very adventurous cat and I know he will try this again.  Any thoughts on how I can avoid having him jump up on the walls around the stairs? 
 

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  • What about using a Nautical Theme, and placing some sort of 'fish netting' over the opening void.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=fish...7x3qnPAhVLzIMKHR12Dv8QsAQIHQ&biw=1366&bih=635
  • Or using some sort of cedar open lattice fencing, to create a design feature or barrier.
  • To keep the light feature throughout, maybe using some sort of plexi-glass sheets would also do.
I would just place it across the opening, not necessarily to the rafters.

(Whatever you decide, that space is going to look awesome, when you finish. It looks good, even now.

Your cat must love all the wood and places to explore.)
 

jennyr

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Great job, a lovely space. On the cat, all cats will jump on anything they can reach. Mine terrify me sometimes as I have a balustrade that runs right round my mezzanine, and they all walk round on it all the time. In 10 years none have fallen off, even when they fight on it! Cats have an amazing sense of balance, no fear of heights, and even when they fall, they usually manage to turn themselves to fall safely. By the look of your stairs, if he did fall, he would land on the stairs, so it is not so far for a cat. but if you do want to make it less likely, then I would also suggest a sheet of clear plastic fastened on top of the hole. so that if he did fall it would only be onto the top two or three stairs.
 
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pjewles

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Thanks for all the great ideas.  ISince posting this my husband brought him up there and he did actually jump on the ledge.  Aughhh... so yeah this is going to be a problem.  I was thinking of maybe trying to keep items along the ledge that are non breakable like yarn and thread (it's a craft room) and putting a wood board to back it all around the stair walls, so that the items I place on the ledge don't fall over the stairs and if he does jump on it he hopefully won't fall over.  I have found if a surface has items on it he won't think to jump on the space.  We will have the wall sheet rocked and capped still so I can have our contractor make adjustments to it.  The tricky part is how high should the wood board be?  How high is enough to keep a cat from rolling over?  I was thinking at least 6", but is that enough? 

I was hoping to move his litter box up here so it's out of our kitchen (it's the only place not carpeted that we have room for it).  I don't think that's happening now since even with these adjustments I think we will need to supervise him.  :(
 

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The wood board backing sounds like a good idea.

I think I would make it higher than 6"... since 6" might prevent a cat from rolling over, but I think that a cat could easily step over 6 inches.

Perhaps 8" and above would be better. I suppose you'll have to measure, and play with your cat on the floor, and use different cardboard box heights to experiment with the ideal height.
 
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pjewles

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Your cardboard idea sounds good.  I'm thinking higher than 6" too.  I met with our contractor and the guy who will drywall and told them of my dilemma.  The drywall guy suggested putting railings in the center of the ledge.  Our contractor said We'll come up with something.  I'm thinking the railing idea would be good too.  What do you think would work the best?
 

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Your cardboard idea sounds good.  I'm thinking higher than 6" too.  I met with our contractor and the guy who will drywall and told them of my dilemma.  The drywall guy suggested putting railings in the center of the ledge.  Our contractor said We'll come up with something.  I'm thinking the railing idea would be good too.  What do you think would work the best?
It depends upon the spaces between the railings, and if your cat could accidentally fall between them, while jumping.

Was your drywall guy suggesting regular railings, with vertical posts or something with a decorative, or mesh-like feature, to prevent falling through.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=deco..._oorbPAhXB34MKHcE2DMIQsAQIHQ&biw=1366&bih=635

https://www.google.ca/search?q=mesh...Vi74MKHTknA6AQsAQIRg&biw=1366&bih=635#imgrc=_

You're really just trying to prevent your cat from falling over that section of the stairs with the longest drop, so I would still go with getting your contractor to fasten something safe, across the void, in case he jumps up.
 
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pjewles

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We didn't talk specifics about the railing idea.  I was thinking more decorative if we were to do that.  I hadn't thought about mesh railing but that would be safer I'm sure.  I'm not sure if I would use railings or stick with my original idea of using a wood board to back the ledge, but I do like that there won't be a ledge he can jump on then (or at least less of one).  I'm thinking as long as he looks at the ledge and realizes he can't jump on it that should hopefully be enough.  If not then I will look into putting something over the void.  It's good to have ideas just in case.  We will only have him up there supervised for a long time to see how he is with the stairs. 
 

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I did figure that since you said it will be a craft room...that you will design something decorative, eventually, to go with the room's theme.

Whatever you put up, I'm sure it will look good.

The hard thing is predicting what a cat will do.

You know your cat best, so go with the idea that seems to fit whatever type of acrobatics he does.

(Feel free to attach any photos of your 'adventurous and climber' cat, if you like).
 
 
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pjewles

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I agree the hard thing is knowing what he will do.  I plan to make sure he is supervised for a long time and adjust accordingly.  I'll post a pic here of what we end up doing and if it works or not.

He is a Norwegian forest cat so he is an excellent climber, and very adventurous.  We can only have him outside on a harness and leash in our fenced in backyard with both my husband and I watching hm because he climbs our tree and up the chimney on our house.   I have like a gizzilion pics of him because of course to me everything he does is cute.  Here is a one of my favs.  He was 1 yrs old here now he is 8.  How many cats do you have?  What are they like?

 

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Yours is very handsome, and looks to be very fluffy.
  So your cat likes to climb, and loves the cool feel of sinks, too.
  Very cute.

(Presently, I have 3 cats, one female and two males. Just typical domestic short hair(DSH) black cats. The female likes to be low to the ground, and does not climb much, but one of the males sounds like yours, in that he is fearless of heights, loves climbing and jumping high, and has no problem with any height. The second male cat likes to jump on dressers and end tables and steal pens, or anything small and plastic, and knock things down onto the floor. They are all siblings, but their personalities are so different, which is amazing to see. They are about 1.5 years now...still very active.)

I thought by age 8, your guy would start to be more careful with the jumping and climbing, but if I recall my rainbow tuxedo cat, Spotty, did not start to slow down until after 9 years, and still tried those 3-4' high jumps onto dressers, well into his senior years. Sometimes he missed, so we'd put a chair next to wherever he wanted to be.

That's something I like about cats, they see something, are determined to get there...and make it happen. Not always successful, but still try.

Yes, please post whatever you decide on doing in the future.
 
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pjewles

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Yes he is fluffy with a big mane.  He got him from the pound when he was 1 yrs old and he wasn't as fluffy.  My husband and I like to joke that it was his awkward teenage yrs.  A few months after we had him he started to fluff out.  He actually was at the pound for 3 months and was a stray.  I couldn't believe no one wanted him.  I lucked out.

Since he is a Norweigan forest he has a water proof coat.  He is truly fascinated by water (he could watch water run for ever), but still hates to get wet.  I'm assuming it has something to do with the fact that his ancestors were on the ships with vikings.  Do your cats like water?  He also likes bath tubs.  He likes to hide in our bathtub and dig at the curved part like he is in his litter box and then jump out behind the shower curtain and have us chase him.  He's a silly little guy who always surprises me. 

I have noticed as he has gotten older  that he is smarter about climbing and jumping, but he still goes for it.  My husband also spots and helps him do all kinds of adventurous things which is great because when we are around him he thinks he is invincible and of course encourages him to do all kinds of dangerous things.

At least it sounds like you have only one cat who is adventurous and fearless.  I'm sure since they are all still a handful since they are pretty young still.  Just the one is enough for me.  We had to stay in a hotel last night with him because we had the attic spray foamed.  I can't imagine if I had to do that with 3 cats.  :)   Sounds like they are all very different.  Every cat is truly unique.  And I agree you must admire their determination, and no they do not always succeed.  My cat has had some pretty funny fails :) 
 
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